Shloka 3
Āstīka’s Commission and Approach to Janamejaya’s Sarpa-satra (आस्तीक-प्रेषणं यज्ञप्रवेशोपक्रमश्च)
जनमेजय उवाच जानन्ति सम भवन्तस्तदू यथा वृत्तं पितुर्मम । आसीदू यथा स निधन गत: काले महायशा:,जनमेजयने पूछा--आपलोग यह जानते होंगे कि मेरे पिताके जीवनकालमें उनका आचार-व्यवहार कैसा था? और अन्तकाल आनेपर वे महायशस्वी नरेश किस प्रकार मृत्युको प्राप्त हुए थे?
Janamejaya uvāca | jānanti sma bhavantas tad ū yathā vṛttaṃ pitur mama | āsīd ū yathā sa nidhanaṃ gataḥ kāle mahāyaśāḥ ||
Janamejaya dijo: «Sin duda vosotros sabéis cómo fueron en verdad la conducta y el curso de vida de mi padre. Decidme también de qué modo aquel rey de gran renombre halló su fin cuando llegó su última hora».
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical inquiry: a ruler’s fame is tied to his conduct (vṛtta), and understanding a king’s end is part of reflecting on dharma, responsibility, and the inevitability of death.
King Janamejaya addresses the sages and asks them to recount his father’s life—how he behaved and what happened—especially the circumstances by which the renowned king met death when his destined time arrived.